The Legend of Panekan

It was a very common conversation for people in Magetan, East Java, a long time ago. They did not have enough water.

They needed water for their daily needs, such as taking a bath and washing dishes and clothes. They also needed water for their cattle and trees.

Actually they were quite lucky because the land was fertile. However, since they did not have enough water, the villagers could not plant a lot of trees. Therefore, the villagers sometimes had to walk very far away to fi nd water.

In every morning, the head of the village always asked some young men to find water. In one afternoon, the young men came home with good news.

“There was a water spring far from here. However, it was very difficult to go there.”

“Well, who dares to go there?” asked the head of the village.

Some young men raised their hands.

“We will go there, Sir.”

Then those young men went to the water spring. They were right. The place was not easy to reach. They had to be very careful.

And finally they arrived. However, they saw a girl was there first. They were surprised. They all thought that a girl could not go there.

“Maybe she is not really human, maybe she is an angel,” said one man.

“Come on, let’s approach her,” said another man.

Strangely, before the men came to her, the girl disappeared.

“Look! She is over there!” he pointed to one place.

They immediately ran to come to her. Again, the girl disappeared.

“Look! What is that? It is shining!”

Exactly on the ground where the girl was standing, they found a big diamond. The diamond was

next to the well. Then they brought home the diamond and a lot of water.

When they showed the diamond to the head of the village, he said, “Our great great grand parents named this kind of diamond as Manikan.”

Then he continued.

“Since the diamond was found next to the water spring. So let’s name the water spring as Manikan.”

Everybody agreed. Since then the area was named Manikan. The word Manikan had changed into Panekan. And now Panekan has become a great area in East Java. The people are happy because they have fertile land. ***